


Looking Glass

by lightofthetrees



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 20:20:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13131414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightofthetrees/pseuds/lightofthetrees
Summary: Annatar gives Celebrimbor a holiday gift.





	Looking Glass

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cytryne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cytryne/gifts).



> For reference, the piece of jewelry that inspired the one in this fic can be found here:  
> https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1133/7544/products/January_B392_Cube_RIM.png?v=1502069561

**i.**

Tyelperinquar smiled fondly as he knocked on the door to Annatar’s workspace. Finding Annatar working late was hardly a surprise. The workshops and forges of the Mírdain were mostly vacant at this time of night, but the Maia of Aulë still toiled away at one of his projects as his fellow craftsmen took their rest. Truly, he lived up to his name and reputation.  
  
**“Come in, Tyelpe,”** Annatar said, his voice smooth as silk, warm in the winter night’s drafty air.  
  
Tyelpe pushed the door open, entering the room to find his friend polishing something small and silver, about the right size to be a piece of jewelry. He had not seen this project before – surprising, considering how closely he and Annatar had been working with one another lately.   
  
**“What is this, Annatar?”** Tyelpe asked.  
  
**“A gift for you,”** Annatar answered. Well, that certainly explained why Tyelpe had not seen it.  
  
With an indulgent smile, Annatar held the object out for Tyelpe to examine more closely, and the Maia watched carefully as Tyelpe took in the details. The gift was a bracelet consisting of several chains, delicate as strands of moonlight, all connecting at a central section where rings resembling chainmail had been linked together in a diamond shape. Truly, Tyelpe had never seen such fine craftsmanship since he had left his grandfather’s forges in Valinor, but he would expect no less from one who had learned from Aulë himself.

**“It is…lovely. What is the occasion?”** Tyelpe asked, turning the bracelet so it caught the soft blue glow of the workroom’s lamplight.  
  
Annatar smiled again, a hint of bashfulness in his tone as he spoke. **“I heard some of the M** **írdain speak of a Festival of Moonrise. I hope it was not too presumptuous of me to assume that gifts are given on holidays?”**  
  
**“Sometimes,”** Tyelpe replied, with a short and surprised laugh. **“Among those who are very close.”**  
  
What might have been a blush crept over the gold of Annatar’s cheeks. **“You have accepted me into your city, in friendship, where others would turn me away. I wished to offer you a token of my thanks. If it is not – “**  
  
**“It is perfect,”** Tyelpe replied, the words rising to his lips before he knew what he was actually saying. It was his turn to feel slightly embarrassed, and it seemed that Annatar noticed.  
  
**“Perfect? That is not a term I hear often from craftsmen. In fact, I do not believe I’ve ever heard you say it.”** The Maia’s smile was sharp with humor.  
  
**“Now you have.”** Tyelpe smiled brightly and set the bracelet down with reverence upon the worktable. Then, an idea occurred to him, and his smile became even more jubilant. Annatar did not speak with many of the other Mírdain, at least not at length. He probably was not very familiar with Middle-Earth’s holiday traditions, having spent his existence in Valinor.

**“Speaking of the festival, Annatar – you do plan on going, don’t you?”** the elven smith asked. **“It is a celebration of hope. Just as the moon rose over the world when all seemed lost to the Noldor crossing the Ice, so is there always light in the darkness, no matter how unexpected. The Sindar choose this day to celebrate new beginnings. Together, these traditions have merged to create our Festival of Moonrise.”**

**“A lovely sentiment,”** Annatar agreed, and joy bloomed in Tyelpe’s heart. That joy dimmed a moment later at Annatar’s expression of hesitation. **“I did not know if I would be welcome.”**  
  
**“All who dwell in the city are welcome,”** Tyelpe said with a nod of encouragement. **“But if it would make you more comfortable, consider this a personal invitation.”**  
  
The brightening of Annatar’s expression was as lovely as a summer sunrise. **“You are most generous.”**  
  
**“We are friends, are we not? I would be a poor friend if I did not include you in such a celebration,”** Tyelpe replied. After all the wisdom of the forge Annatar had shared with him, he was pleased to be able to share the culture of Eregion with such an esteemed friend and visitor.  
  
**“Thank you,”** Annatar said, inclining his head in a gesture Tyelpe had come to recognize as one of gratitude and respect.  
  
When Tyelpe turned his attention toward the door again, meaning to depart, Annatar asked, **“Would you at least do me the honor of trying on your gift before you go? You may take it with you now, certainly, but I should like to present it to you officially tomorrow instead.”**  
  
**“Of course!”** Tyelpe replied. He could not keep the wonder from his face as his friend helped him fasten the shining bracelet about his wrist. The metal mesh glimmered like starlight even in the meager light of the workshop. After a few more moments of fascination with the way the light played over the silver and steel, he extended his arm towards Annatar. **“I will wait until tomorrow to accept this. Perhaps I might wear it at the Festival?”**  
  
**“Nothing would bring me more joy,”** Annatar replied, working at the clasp and gingerly removing the bracelet from Tyelpe’s wrist.  
  
**“I will see you tomorrow evening, then,”** Tyelpe said, grinning from ear to ear. **“Please try to at least take some time to relax before then. It will be a holiday, after all.”**

* * *

  
**ii.**  
  
When Annatar heard Tyelpe’s footsteps in the corridor – he knew they were Tyelpe’s, for no one else would venture back into the forges so late at night – he slipped the schematics for the prototype ring into a portfolio on one side of his worktable and took up a bracelet he had recently completed, beginning to polish its surface.  
  
Though he often crafted gifts for others, few (even among the Mírdain) ever dared to present Celebrimbor, the master smith, with a gift of their own making. How fortunate that Annatar was _more_ than a master smith. It had been an easy trinket to make, but he knew that Tyelpe would find it meaningful.  
  
The Noldor had always been so easy to manipulate.  
  
**“Come in, Tyelpe,”** Annatar said in response to the knock at the door, his lips briefly curling into a smirk as he spoke.  
  
Once he had entered the workshop, Tyelpe’s eyes fixed immediately on the shining metal in Annatar’s hands, but the Maia said nothing and simply continued his work. He knew the Noldo would break the silence eventually.  
  
**“What is this, Annatar?”** Just as he’d predicted.  
  
**“A gift for you.”** Annatar’s smile widened as he passed the bracelet over to Tyelpe, who examined it with great enthusiasm.  
  
**“It is…lovely. What is the occasion?”** the Noldo asked.  
  
Annatar made sure to bury his smug satisfaction beneath a layer of shyness, remembering how his fellow Maiar of Aulë had once addressed their master, and glanced up at Tyelpe hesitantly through golden lashes. **“I heard some of the M** **írdain speak of a Festival of Moonrise. I hope it was not too presumptuous of me to assume that gifts are given on holidays?”**  
  
**“Sometimes, among those who are very close.”** The Noldo seemed surprised, but not displeased. This was good.  
  
A master of controlling temperatures, Annatar forced a bit more warmth into his face to imitate a blush. **“You have accepted me into your city, in friendship, where others would turn me away. I wished to offer you a token of my thanks. If it is not – “**  
  
**“It is perfect,”** Tyelpe interrupted, and Annatar bit back a laugh. It really had been that easy to capture the trust and esteem of the formidable grandson of Fëanor. Simple kindness was really all it took.  
  
**“Perfect? That is not a term I hear often from craftsmen. In fact, I do not believe I’ve ever heard you say it,”** Annatar said, baring his teeth in a victorious grin.  
  
**“Now you have.”** Tyelpe smiled brightly and set the bracelet down with reverence upon the worktable. **“Speaking of the festival, Annatar...”**

Tyelpe’s description of the traditions of the Eldar was not something Annatar cared to listen to, but he nodded along as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever heard, as if he had truly just come from Valinor, where they did not have such traditions. He distracted himself from the dullness of the Noldo’s words by ensuring that his eyes were perfectly wide in eagerness and that his posture indicated rapt attention and interest.  
  
**“A lovely sentiment,”** Annatar agreed when Tyelpe had (finally) finished his explanation. Then he tried subservience again. **“I did not know if I would be welcome.”**  
  
It worked. **“All who dwell in the city are welcome,”** Tyelpe said, nodding. **“But if it would make you more comfortable, consider this a personal invitation.”**  
  
As if such an invitation was a gift equal to the prize he knew he had won this day! Annatar practically glowed. **“You are most generous.”**  
  
**“We are friends, are we not? I would be a poor friend if I did not include you in such a celebration.”**  
  
**“Thank you,”** Annatar said, inclining his head respectfully, just the way he’d seen Tyelpe’s apprentices do, and appreciated the look of satisfaction on the Noldo’s face.  
  
Just one more test. Or, perhaps Annatar simply wished to bask in his victory for a few minutes more. He was not sure, himself.  
  
Annatar waited until Tyelpe was halfway to the door and asked, **“Would you at least do me the honor of trying on your gift before you go? You may take it with you now, certainly, but I should like to present it to you officially tomorrow instead.”**  
  
**“Of course!”** Tyelpe replied, eyes full of wonder as he admired Annatar's creation. " **I will wait until tomorrow to accept this. Perhaps I might wear it at the Festival?”**  
  
**“Nothing would bring me more joy,”** Annatar said as he assisted Tyelpe in removing the bracelet. This, at least, was not a lie. The Festival would be tiresome, but to see the chief of the Mírdain wearing a token of his friendship for all to see – for that intolerably defiant _Galadriel_ to see – would be gratifying indeed.  
  
Tyelpe’s grin brought Annatar all the joy of a scheme that had come together exactly as intended. **“I will see you tomorrow evening, then**. **Please try to at least take some time to relax before then. It will be a holiday, after all.”**  
  
A holiday? Yes, this was certainly cause for celebration.


End file.
